Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03H—HOLOGRAPHIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS
  • G03H1/00—Holographic processes or apparatus using light, infrared or ultraviolet waves for obtaining holograms or for obtaining an image from them; Details peculiar thereto
  • G03H1/02—Details of features involved during the holographic process; Replication of holograms without interference recording
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/241—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/252—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of layers other than recording layers
  • G11B7/253—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of layers other than recording layers of substrates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/004—Recording, reproducing or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor
  • G11B7/0045—Recording
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/004—Recording, reproducing or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor
  • G11B7/0065—Recording, reproducing or erasing by using optical interference patterns, e.g. holograms
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/2403—Layers; Shape, structure or physical properties thereof
  • G11B7/24035—Recording layers
  • G11B7/24038—Multiple laminated recording layers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/2403—Layers; Shape, structure or physical properties thereof
  • G11B7/24035—Recording layers
  • G11B7/24044—Recording layers for storing optical interference patterns, e.g. holograms; for storing data in three dimensions, e.g. volume storage
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/241—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/242—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers
  • G11B7/244—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers comprising organic materials only
  • G11B7/245—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers comprising organic materials only containing a polymeric component
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/241—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material
  • G11B7/242—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers
  • G11B7/244—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers comprising organic materials only
  • G11B7/246—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers comprising organic materials only containing dyes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
  • G11B7/004—Recording, reproducing or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor
  • G11B7/005—Reproducing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S430/00—Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product thereof
  • Y10S430/146—Laser beam

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to methods for making and using holographic data storage articles. Further, the disclosure relates to holographic data storage articles.
• Holographic storage is the storage of data in the form of holograms, which are images of three dimensional interference patterns created by the intersection of two beams of light, in a photosensitive medium.
• the superposition of a signal beam, which contains digitally encoded data, and a reference beam forms an interference pattern within the volume of the medium resulting in a chemical reaction that changes or modulates the refractive index of the medium. This modulation serves to record as the hologram both the intensity and phase information from the signal.
• the hologram can later be retrieved by exposing the storage medium to the reference beam alone, which interacts with the stored holographic data to generate a reconstructed signal beam proportional to the initial signal beam used to store the holographic image.
• data is stored throughout the volume of the medium via three dimensional interference patterns.
• Each hologram may contain anywhere from one to 1 ⁇ 10 6 or more bits of data.
• One distinct advantage of holographic storage over surface-based storage formats, including CDs or DVDs, is that a large number of holograms may be stored in an overlapping manner in the same volume of the photosensitive medium using a multiplexing technique, such as by varying the signal and/or reference beam angle, wavelength, or medium position.
• a major impediment towards the realization of holographic storage as a viable technique has been the development of a reliable and economically feasible storage medium.
• LiNbO 3 doped or un-doped lithium niobate
• incident light creates refractive index changes.
• These index changes are due to the photo-induced creation and subsequent trapping of electrons leading to an induced internal electric field that ultimately modifies the refractive index through a linear electro-optic effect.
• LiNbO 3 is expensive, exhibits relatively poor efficiency, fades over time, and requires thick crystals to observe any significant index changes.
• the media comprise a homogeneous mixture of at least one photo-active polymerizable liquid monomer or oligomer, an initiator, an inert polymeric filler, and optionally a sensitizer. Since it initially has a large fraction of the mixture in monomeric or oligomeric form, the medium may have a gel-like consistency that necessitates an ultraviolet (UV) curing step to provide form and stability.
• UV ultraviolet
• the UV curing step may consume a large portion of the photo-active monomer or oligomer, leaving significantly less photo-active monomer or oligomer available for data storage. Furthermore, even under highly controlled curing conditions, the UV curing step may often result in variable degrees of polymerization and, consequently, poor uniformity among media samples.
• Dye-doped data storage materials based on polymeric materials have been developed.
• the sensitivity of a dye-doped data storage material is dependent upon the concentration of the dye, the dye's absorption cross-section at the recording wavelength, the quantum efficiency of the photochemical transition, and the index change of the dye molecule for a unit dye density.
• the storage medium for example, an optical data storage disc
• becomes opaque which complicates both recording and readout.
• the present invention is a method of making a holographic data storage medium.
• the method comprises: (a) providing an optically transparent substrate comprising at least one photochemically active dye; and (b) irradiating the optically transparent substrate at at least one wavelength at which the optically transparent substrate has an absorbance in a range from about 0.1 to 1, to produce a modified optically transparent substrate comprising at least one optically readable datum and at least one photo-product of the photochemically active dye.
• the at least one wavelength is in a range from about 300 nanometers to about 800 nanometers.
• the optically transparent substrate is at least 100 micrometers thick, and comprises the photochemically active dye in an amount corresponding to from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the optically transparent substrate.
• an optical writing and reading method comprises irradiating a holographic data storage medium with a signal beam possessing data (or at least one datum) and a reference beam simultaneously to partly convert the photochemically active dye into at least one photo-product and store the data in the signal beam as a hologram in the holographic data storage medium.
• the holographic storage medium comprises an optically transparent substrate and at least one photochemically active dye.
• the optically transparent substrate has a thickness of at least 100 micrometers, and comprises the photochemically active dye in an amount corresponding to from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the optically transparent substrate, and a UV-visible absorbance in a range from about 0.1 to 1 at at least one wavelength in a range from about 300 nanometers to about 800 nanometers.
• the holographic storage medium is irradiated with a read beam and the data contained by diffracted light from the hologram is read.
• conversion of the photochemically active dye to at least one photo-product occurs such that the data storage medium comprises the dye as well as the photo-product to provide the refractive index contrast needed to produce the hologram.
• the present invention is a method for using a holographic data storage article.
• the method comprises irradiating a holographic data storage medium in the holographic data storage article with electromagnetic energy having a first wavelength.
• the holographic data storage medium comprises an optically transparent substrate that is at least 100 micrometers thick, and comprises at least one photochemically active dye in an amount corresponding to from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the optically transparent substrate.
• the irradiation is done at at least one wavelength in a range from about 300 nanometers to about 800 nanometers at which the optically transparent substrate has a UV-visible absorbance in a range from about 0.1 to 1.
• a modified optically transparent substrate comprising at least one photo-product of the at least one photochemically active dye, and at least one optically readable datum stored as a hologram is formed. Then the modified optically transparent substrate is irradiated with electromagnetic energy having a second wavelength to read the hologram.
• the present invention is a method for manufacturing a holographic data storage medium.
• the method comprises forming a film of an optically transparent substrate comprising at least one optically transparent plastic material and at least one photochemically active dye having a UV-visible absorbance in a range between about 0.1 and about 1 at a wavelength in a range between about 300 nanometers and about 800 nanometers, said film having a thickness of at least 100 micrometers; wherein the optically transparent substrate comprises from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of the optically transparent substrate.
• the present invention is a holographic data storage medium.
• the holographic data storage medium comprises an optically transparent substrate comprising at least one optically transparent plastic material, at least one photochemically active dye, and at least one photo-product thereof.
• the at least one photo-product is patterned within the optically transparent substrate to provide at least one optically readable datum comprised within the holographic storage medium.
• the optically transparent substrate is at least 100 micrometers thick and comprises the photochemically active dye in an amount corresponding to from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the optically transparent substrate.
• the optically transparent substrate has a UV-visible absorbance in a range from about 0.1 to 1 at at least one wavelength in a range from about 300 nanometers to about 800 nanometers.
• M/# denotes the capacity of a data storage medium, and can be measured as a function of the total number of multiplexed holograms that can be recorded at a volume element of the data storage medium at a given diffraction efficiency. M/# depends upon various parameters, such as the change in refractive index ( ⁇ n), the thickness of the medium, and the dye concentration. These terms are described further in this disclosure.
• the experimental setup for M/# measurement for a test sample at a chosen wavelength, for example, at 532 nanometers or 405 nanometers involves positioning the testing sample on a rotary stage that is controlled by a computer.
• the rotary stage has a high angular resolution, for example, about 0.0001 degree.
• An M/# measurement involves two steps: recording and readout.
• recording multiple planewave holograms are recorded at the same location on the same sample.
• a plane wave hologram is a recorded interference pattern produced by a signal beam and a reference beam.
• the signal and reference beams are coherent to each other. They are both planewaves that have the same power and beam size, incident at the same location on the sample, and polarized in the same direction.
• Multiple planewave holograms are recorded by rotating the sample. Angular spacing between two adjacent holograms is about 0.2 degree. This spacing is chosen so that their impact to the previously recorded holograms, when multiplexing additional holograms, is minimal and at the same time, the usage of the total capacity of the media is efficient. Recording time for each hologram is generally the same in M/# measurements. At readout, the signal beam is blocked. The diffracted signal is measured using the reference beam and an amplified photo-detector. Diffracted power is measured by rotating the sample across the recording angle range with a step size of about 0.004 degree. The power of the reference beam used for readout is typically about 2-3 orders of magnitude smaller than that used at recording.
• ⁇ i P i , diffracted P reference Equation ⁇ ⁇ ( 2 )
• P i, diffracted is the diffracted power of the i th hologram.
• M/# is then calculated using the diffraction efficiencies of the holograms and equation (1).
• a holographic plane wave characterization system may be used to test the characteristics of the data storage material, especially multiplexed holograms. Further, the characteristics of the data storage material can also be determined by measuring the diffraction efficiency.
• volume element means a three dimensional portion of the total volume of an optically transparent substrate or a modified optically transparent substrate.
• the term “optically readable datum” can be understood as being made up of one or more volume elements of a first or a modified optically transparent substrate containing a “hologram” of the data to be stored.
• the refractive index within an individual volume element may be constant throughout the volume element, as in the case of a volume element that has not been exposed to electromagnetic radiation, or in the case of a volume element in which the photochemically active dye has been reacted to the same degree throughout the volume element. It is believed that most volume elements that have been exposed to electromagnetic radiation during the holographic data writing process will contain a complex holographic pattern and as such the refractive index within the volume element will vary across the volume element.
• an optically readable datum comprises at least one volume element having a refractive index that is different from a (the) corresponding volume element of the optically transparent substrate prior to irradiation.
• Data storage is achieved by locally changing the refractive index of the data storage medium in a graded fashion (continuous sinusoidal variations), rather than discrete steps, and then using the induced changes as diffractive optical elements.
• the capacity to store data as holograms is also directly proportional to the ratio of the change in refractive index per unit dye density ( ⁇ n/N0) at the wavelength used for reading the data to the absorption cross section ( ⁇ ) at a given wavelength used for writing the data as a hologram.
• the refractive index change per unit dye density is given by the ratio of the difference in refractive index of the volume element before irradiation minus the refractive index of the same volume element after irradiation to the density of the dye molecules.
• the refractive index change per unit dye density has a unit of (centimeter) 3 .
• the optically readable datum comprises at least one volume element wherein the ratio of the change in the refractive index per unit dye density of the at least one volume element to an absorption cross section of the at least one photochemically active dye is at least about 10 ⁇ 5 expressed in units of centimeter.
• Sensitivity is a measure of the diffraction efficiency of a hologram recorded using a certain amount of light fluence (F).
• the light fluence (F) is given by the product of light intensity (I) and recording time (t).
• ⁇ sin 2 ⁇ ( ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ n ⁇ L ⁇ ⁇ cos ⁇ ( ⁇ ) ) Equation ⁇ ⁇ ( 4 )
• ⁇ is the wavelength of light in the recording medium
• ⁇ is the recording angle in the media
• ⁇ n is the refractive index contrast of the grating, which is produced by the recording process, wherein the dye molecule undergoes a photochemical conversion.
• Quantum efficiency is a measure of the probability of a photochemical transition for each absorbed photon of a given wavelength. Thus, it gives a measure of the efficiency with which incident light is used to achieve a given photochemical conversion, also called as a bleaching process.
• the parameter F 0 is given by the product of light intensity (I) and a time constant ( ⁇ ) that characterizes the bleaching process.
• optically transparent as applied to an optically transparent substrate or an optically transparent plastic material means that they have an absorbance of less than 1, that is at least 10 percent of incident light is transmitted through the material at at least one wavelength in a range between about 300 and about 800 nanometers.
• an optically transparent substrate denotes a combination of an optically transparent plastic material and at least one photochemically active dye, which has an absorbance of less than 1, that is, at least 10 percent of incident light is transmitted through the material at at least one wavelength in a range between about 300 and about 800 nanometers.
• optically transparent plastic material means a plastic material which has an absorbance of less than 1, that is, at least 10 percent of incident light is transmitted through the material) at at least one wavelength in a range between about 300 and about 800 nanometers.
• aliphatic radical refers to an organic radical having a valence of at least one consisting of a linear or branched array of atoms which is not cyclic. Aliphatic radicals are defined to comprise at least one carbon atom. The array of atoms comprising the aliphatic radical may include heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur, silicon, selenium and oxygen or may be composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen.
• aliphatic radical is defined herein to encompass, as part of the “linear or branched array of atoms which is not cyclic” a wide range of functional groups such as alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkynyl groups, haloalkyl groups, conjugated dienyl groups, alcohol groups, ether groups, aldehyde groups, ketone groups, carboxylic acid groups, acyl groups (for example carboxylic acid derivatives such as esters and amides), amine groups, nitro groups, and the like.
• the 4-methylpent-1-yl radical is a C 6 aliphatic radical comprising a methyl group, the methyl group being a functional group which is an alkyl group.
• the 4-nitrobut-1-yl group is a C 4 aliphatic radical comprising a nitro group, the nitro group being a functional group.
• An aliphatic radical may be a haloalkyl group which comprises one or more halogen atoms which may be the same or different.
• Halogen atoms include, for example; fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
• Aliphatic radicals comprising one or more halogen atoms include the alkyl halides trifluoromethyl, bromodifluoromethyl, chlorodifluoromethyl, hexafluoroisopropylidene, chloromethyl, difluorovinylidene, trichloromethyl, bromodichloromethyl, bromoethyl, 2-bromotrimethylene (e.g., —CH 2 CHBrCH 2 —), and the like.
• aliphatic radicals include allyl, aminocarbonyl (i.e., —CONH 2 ), carbonyl, 2,2-dicyanoisopropylidene (i.e., —CH 2 C(CN) 2 CH 2 —), methyl (i.e., —CH 3 ), methylene (i.e., —CH 2 —), ethyl, ethylene, formyl (i.e., —CHO), hexyl, hexamethylene, hydroxymethyl (i.e., —CH 2 OH), mercaptomethyl (i.e., —CH 2 SH), methylthio (i.e., —SCH 3 ), methylthiomethyl (i.e., —CH 2 SCH 3 ), methoxy, methoxycarbonyl (i.e., CH 3 OCO—), nitromethyl (i.e., —CH 2 NO 2 ), thiocarbonyl, trimethylsilyl (i.e.
• a C 1 -C 10 aliphatic radical contains at least one but no more than 10 carbon atoms.
• a methyl group i.e., CH 3 —
• a decyl group i.e., CH 3 (CH2) 9 —
• CH 3 (CH2) 9 — is an example of a C 10 aliphatic radical.
• aromatic radical refers to an array of atoms having a valence of at least one comprising at least one aromatic group.
• the array of atoms having a valence of at least one comprising at least one aromatic group may include heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur, selenium, silicon and oxygen, or may be composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen.
• aromatic radical includes but is not limited to phenyl, pyridyl, furanyl, thienyl, naphthyl, phenylene, and biphenyl radicals.
• the aromatic radical contains at least one aromatic group.
• the aromatic radical may also include nonaromatic components.
• a benzyl group is an aromatic radical that comprises a phenyl ring (the aromatic group) and a methylene group (the nonaromatic component).
• a tetrahydronaphthyl radical is an aromatic radical comprising an aromatic group (C 6 H 3 ) fused to a nonaromatic component —(CH 2 ) 4 —.
• aromatic radical is defined herein to encompass a wide range of functional groups such as alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkynyl groups, haloalkyl groups, haloaromatic groups, conjugated dienyl groups, alcohol groups, ether groups, aldehydes groups, ketone groups, carboxylic acid groups, acyl groups (for example carboxylic acid derivatives such as esters and amides), amine groups, nitro groups, and the like.
• the 4-methylphenyl radical is a C 7 aromatic radical comprising a methyl group, the methyl group being a functional group which is an alkyl group.
• the 2-nitrophenyl group is a C 6 aromatic radical comprising a nitro group, the nitro group being a functional group.
• Aromatic radicals include halogenated aromatic radicals such as 4-trifluoromethylphenyl, hexafluoroisopropylidenebis(4-phen-1-yloxy) (i.e., —OPhC(CF 3 ) 2 PhO—), 4-chloromethylphen-1-yl, 3-trifluorovinyl-2-thienyl, 3-trichloromethylphen-1-yl (i.e., 3-CCl 3 Ph-), 4-(3-bromoprop-1-yl)phen-1-yl (i.e., 4-BrCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 Ph-), and the like.
• halogenated aromatic radicals such as 4-trifluoromethylphenyl, hexafluoroisopropylidenebis(4-phen-1-yloxy) (i.e., —OPhC(CF 3 ) 2 PhO—), 4-chloromethylphen-1-yl, 3-trifluorovinyl-2-thienyl, 3-trich
• aromatic radicals include 4-allyloxyphen-1-oxy, 4-aminophen-1-yl (i.e., 4-H 2 NPh-), 3-aminocarbonylphen-1-yl (i.e., NH 2 COPh-), 4-benzoylphen-1-yl, dicyanomethylidenebis(4-phen-1-yloxy) (i.e., —OPhC(CN) 2 PhO—), 3-methylphen-1-yl, methylenebis(4-phen-1-yloxy) (i.e., —OPhCH 2 PhO—), 2-ethylphen-1-yl, phenylethenyl, 3-formyl-2-thienyl, 2-hexyl-5-furanyl, hexamethylene-1,6-bis(4-phen-1-yloxy) (i.e., —OPh(CH 2 ) 6 PhO—), 4-hydroxymethylphen-1-yl (i.e., 4-HOCH 2 Ph-), 4-mer
• a C 3 -C 10 aromatic radical includes aromatic radicals containing at least three but no more than 10 carbon atoms.
• the aromatic radical 1-imidazolyl (C 3 H 2 N 2 —) represents a C 3 aromatic radical.
• the benzyl radical (C 7 H 7 —) represents a C 7 aromatic radical.
• cycloaliphatic radical refers to a radical having a valence of at least one, and comprising an array of atoms which is cyclic but which is not aromatic. As defined herein a “cycloaliphatic radical” does not contain an aromatic group.
• a “cycloaliphatic radical” may comprise one or more noncyclic components.
• a cyclohexylmethyl group (C 6 H 11 CH 2 —) is an cycloaliphatic radical which comprises a cyclohexyl ring (the array of atoms which is cyclic but which is not aromatic) and a methylene group (the noncyclic component).
• the cycloaliphatic radical may include heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur, selenium, silicon and oxygen, or may be composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen.
• the term “cycloaliphatic radical” is defined herein to encompass a wide range of functional groups such as alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkynyl groups, haloalkyl groups, conjugated dienyl groups, alcohol groups, ether groups, aldehyde groups, ketone groups, carboxylic acid groups, acyl groups (for example carboxylic acid derivatives such as esters and amides), amine groups, nitro groups, and the like.
• the 4-methylcyclopent-1-yl radical is a C 6 cycloaliphatic radical comprising a methyl group, the methyl group being a functional group which is an alkyl group.
• the 2-nitrocyclobut-1-yl radical is a C 4 cycloaliphatic radical comprising a nitro group, the nitro group being a functional group.
• a cycloaliphatic radical may comprise one or more halogen atoms which may be the same or different. Halogen atoms include, for example; fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
• Cycloaliphatic radicals comprising one or more halogen atoms include 2-trifluoromethylcyclohex-1-yl, 4-bromodifluoromethylcyclooct-1-yl, 2-chlorodifluoromethylcyclohex-1-yl, hexafluoroisopropylidene-2,2-bis(cyclohex4-yl) (i.e., —C 6 H 10 C(CF 3 ) 2 C 6 H 10 —), 2-chloromethylcyclohex-1-yl, 3-difluoromethylenecyclohex-1-yl, 4-trichloromethylcyclohex-1-yloxy, 4-bromodichloromethylcyclohex-1-ylthio, 2-bromoethylcyclopent-1-yl, 2-bromopropylcyclohex-1-yloxy (e.g., CH 3 CHBrCH 2 C 6 H 10 O—), and the like.
• cycloaliphatic radicals include 4-allyloxycyclohex-1-yl, 4-aminocyclohex-1-yl (i.e., H 2 NC 6 H 10 —), 4-aminocarbonylcyclopent-1-yl (i.e., NH 2 COC 5 H 8 —), 4-acetyloxycyclohex-1-yl, 2,2-dicyanoisopropylidenebis(cyclohex-4-yloxy) (i.e., —OC 6 H 10 C(CN) 2 C 6 H 10 O—), 3-methylcyclohex-1-yl, methylenebis(cyclohex-4-yloxy) (i.e., —OC 6 H 10 CH 2 C 6 H 10 O—), 1-ethylcyclobut-1-yl, cyclopropylethenyl, 3-formyl-2-terahydrofuranyl, 2-hexyl-5-tetrahydrofuranyl, hexamethylene-1,6
• a C 3 -C 10 cycloaliphatic radical includes cycloaliphatic radicals containing at least three but no more than 10 carbon atoms.
• the cycloaliphatic radical 2-tetrahydrofuranyl (C 4 H 7 O—) represents a C 4 cycloaliphatic radical.
• the cyclohexylmethyl radical (C 6 H 11 CH 2 —) represents a C 7 cycloaliphatic radical.
• the present invention provides methods for optical data storage use in holographic data storage and retrieval.
• These holographic storage media include an optically transparent substrate comprising an optically transparent plastic material and at least one photochemically active dye.
• the photochemically active dye has desirable optical properties, such as a relatively low absorption cross-section while having a relatively high refractive index change and/or relatively high quantum efficiency. High quantum efficiency also leads to a higher sensitivity since sensitivity is directly proportional to the product of quantum efficiency and refractive index change (defined as ⁇ n).
• Writing of data as a hologram into the optically transparent substrate comprising the photochemical dye is due to the dye undergoing a photochemical conversion at the write wavelength, thereby producing a modified optically transparent substrate comprising at least one optically readable datum.
• the sensitivity of a dye-doped data storage material is dependent upon the concentration of the dye (N 0 ), the dye's absorption cross-section at the recording wavelength, the quantum efficiency QE of the photochemical transition, and the index change of the dye molecule for a unit dye density ( ⁇ n 0 /N 0 ).
• concentration of the dye N 0
• the dye's absorption cross-section at the recording wavelength the quantum efficiency QE of the photochemical transition
• the index change of the dye molecule for a unit dye density ⁇ n 0 /N 0
• dyes of interest for achieving high M/#s are those materials that undergo a partial photochemical transformation accompanied with a high refractive index change and a high quantum efficiency at the wavelength that is used for writing data, one that is removed from the main UV-visible absorption peak of the dye.
• a photochemically active dye may be described as a dye molecule that has an optical absorption resonance characterized by a center wavelength associated with the maximum absorption and a spectral width (full width at half of the maximum, FWHM) of less than 500 nanometers (hereinafter abbreviated as “nm”).
• the photochemically active dye molecule undergoes a partial light induced chemical reaction when exposed to light with a wavelength within the absorption range to form at least one photo-product.
• This reaction can be a photo-decomposition reaction, such as oxidation, reduction, or bond breaking to form smaller constituents, or a molecular rearrangement, such as a sigmatropic rearrangement, or addition reactions including pericyclic cycloadditions.
• data storage in the form of holograms is achieved wherein the photo-product is patterned (for example, in a graded fashion) within the modified optically transparent substrate to provide the at least one optically readable datum.
• the photochemically active dye (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “dye”) is selected and utilized on the basis of several characteristics, including the ability to change the refractive index of the dye upon exposure to light; the efficiency with which the light creates the refractive index change; and the separation between the wavelength at which the dye shows an maximum absorption and the desired wavelength or wavelengths to be used for storing and/or reading the data.
• the choice of the photochemically active dye depends upon many factors, such as sensitivity (S) of the holographic storage media, concentration (N 0 ) of the photochemically active dye, the dye's absorption cross section ( ⁇ ) at the recording wavelength, the quantum efficiency (QE) of the photochemical conversion of the dye, and the refractive index change per unit dye density (i.e., ⁇ n/N 0 ).
• S sensitivity
• N 0 concentration
• QE quantum efficiency
• M/# information storage capacity
• Preferred photochemically active dyes are those that show a high refractive index change per unit dye density ( ⁇ n/N 0 ) (as explained previously), a high quantum efficiency in the photochemical conversion step, and a low absorption cross-section at the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation used for the photochemical conversion.
• the photochemically active dye is one that is capable of being written and read by electromagnetic radiation. It is desirable to use dyes that can be written (with a signal beam) and read (with a read beam) using actinic radiation i.e., radiation having a wavelength from about 300 nm to about 1,100 nm.
• actinic radiation i.e., radiation having a wavelength from about 300 nm to about 1,100 nm.
• the wavelengths at which writing and reading are accomplished are about 300 nm to about 800 nm.
• the writing and reading are accomplished at a wavelength of about 400 nm to about 600 nm.
• the writing and reading are accomplished at a wavelength of about 400 to about 550 nanometers.
• the reading wavelength is such that it is shifted by 0 nm to about 400 nm from the writing wavelength.
• Exemplary wavelengths at which writing and reading are accomplished are about 405 nanometers and about 532 nanometers.
• the photochemically active dye is a vicinal diarylethene.
• the photochemically active dye is a photo-product derived from a vicinal diarylethene.
• the photochemically active dye is a nitrone.
• the photochemically active dye is a nitrostilbene. Any combination comprising two or more members selected from the group consisting of a vicinal diarylethene, a nitrone, a photo-product derived from a vicinal diarylethene, and a nitrostilbene can also be used.
• An exemplary class of vicinal diarylethene compounds can be represented by generic structure (I),
• R 1 is a bond, an oxygen atom, a substituted nitrogen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom, a divalent C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a halogenated divalent C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a divalent C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical, a halogenated divalent C 1 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a divalent C 2 -C 30 aromatic radical; Ar 1 and Ar 2 are each independently a C 2 -C 40 aromatic radical, or a C 2 -C 40 heteroaromatic radical; and Z 1 and Z 2 are independently a bond, a hydrogen atom, a monovalent C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, divalent C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a monovalent C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical, a divalent C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical, a
• e is 0, and Z 1 and Z 2 C 1 -C 5 alkyl, C 1 -C 5 perfluoroalkyl, or CN.
• e is 1, and Z 1 and Z 2 are independently CH 2 , CF 2 , or C ⁇ O.
• At least one of Ar 1 and Ar 2 comprises one or more aromatic moieties selected from the group consisting of structures (II), (III), and (IV), wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are hydrogen, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a C 1 -C 10 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 10 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C 2 -C 10 aromatic radical; R 7 is independently at each occurrence a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a C 1 -C 10 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 10 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C 2 -C 10 aromatic radical; “b” is an integer from and including 0 to and including 4; X and Y are selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, oxygen, NH, and nitrogen substituted by a C 1 -C 10 aliphatic radical, a
• At least one of R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, C 1 -C 3 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, cyano, phenyl, pyridyl, isoxazolyl, —CHC(CN) 2 .
• preferred photochemically active dyes are those that show a high refractive index change, a high quantum efficiency in the photochemical conversion step, and a low absorption cross-section at the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation used for the photochemical conversion.
• a suitable photochemically active dye is illustrated by the vicinal diarylethene (V), which can be named as 1,2-bis ⁇ 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methylthien-4-yl ⁇ -3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclopent-1-ene.
• Compound (V) shows a UV absorbance of about 1 at about 600 nanometers, the wavelength at which it cyclizes intramolecularly, and a high QE of about 0.8 for the cyclization step.
• Vicinal diarylethene (V) is also represented in the Table above as Example I-1 wherein, with reference to generic structure I, R 1 is a perfluorotrimethylene group, “e” is 1, Z 1 and Z 2 are each bonds, and Ar 1 and Ar 2 are each 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methylthien-4-yl moieties.
• Suitable vicinal diarylethenes that can be used as photochemically active dyes include diarylperfluorocyclopentenes, diarylmaleic anhydrides, diarylmaleimides, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing diarylethenes.
• the vicinal diarylethenes can be prepared using methods known in the art.
• the vicinal diarylethenes can be reacted in the presence of actinic radiation (i.e. radiation that can produce a photochemical reaction), such as light.
• actinic radiation i.e. radiation that can produce a photochemical reaction
• an exemplary vicinal diarylethene can undergo a reversible cyclization reaction in the presence of light (hv) according to the following equation (7), where X, Z R 1 and e have the meanings indicated above.
• the cyclization reactions can be used to produce holograms.
• the holograms can be produced by using radiation to effect the cyclization reaction or the reverse ring-opening reaction.
• a photo-product derived from a vicinal diarylethene can be used as a photochemically active dye.
• Such photo-products derived from the vicinal diarylethene can be represented by a formula (VI), wherein “e”, R 1 , Z 1 , and Z 2 are as described for the vicinal diarylethene having formula (I), A and B are fused rings, and R 8 and R 9 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic radical, a cycloaliphatic radical, or an aromatic radical.
• One or both fused rings A and B may comprise carbocyclic rings which do not have heteroatoms.
• the fused rings A and B may comprise one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.
• Non-limiting examples of compounds falling within the scope of formula (VI) include the compounds (VII) and (VIII) wherein R 10 is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen atom, a methoxy radical, or a trifluoromethyl radical.
• Nitrones can also be used as photochemically active dyes for producing the holographic data storage media.
• An exemplary nitrone generally comprises an aryl nitrone structure represented by the structure (IX), wherein Ar 3 is an aromatic radical, each of R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 is a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic radical, a cycloaliphatic radical, or an aromatic radical; R 14 is an aliphatic radical (for example, an isopropyl) or an aromatic radical, and “n” is an integer having a value of from 0 to 4.
• the radical R 14 comprises one or more electron withdrawing substituents selected from the group consisting of wherein R 15 -R 17 are independently a C 1 -C 10 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 10 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C 2 -C 10 aromatic radical.
• the nitrones may be ⁇ -aryl-N-arylnitrones or conjugated analogs thereof in which the conjugation is between the aryl group and an ⁇ -carbon atom.
• the ⁇ -aryl group is frequently substituted, often by a dialkylamino group, in which the alkyl groups contain 1 to about 4 carbon atoms.
• nitrones include ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone; ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-chlorophenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-carbethoxyphenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-acetylphenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-cyanophenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-(4-cyanophenyl)nitrone, ⁇ -(9-julolidinyl)-N
• the photochemically active dye is a nitrostilbene compound.
• Nitrostilbene compounds are illustrated by 4-dimethylamino-2′,4′-dinitrostilbene, 4-dimethylamino4′-cyano-2′-nitrostilbene, 4-hydroxy-2′,4′-dinitrostilbene, and the like.
• the nitrostilbene can be a cis isomer, a trans isomer, or mixtures of the cis and trans isomers.
• the photochemically active dye useful for producing a holographic data storage medium comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of 4-dimethylamino-2′,4′-dinitrostilbene, 4-dimethylamino-4′-cyano-2′-nitrostilbene, 4-hydroxy-2′,4′-dinitrostilbene, 4-methoxy-2′,4′-dinitrostilbene, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone; ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-chlorophenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-carbethoxyphenyl)-nitrone, ⁇ -(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-carbethoxy
• nitrones Upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation, nitrones undergo unimolecular cyclization to an oxaziridine illustrated by structure (X), wherein Ar 3 , R 11 -R 14 , and n have the same meaning as denoted above for the structure (IX).
• thermoplastic polymers include polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polycarbonates, polystyrenes, polyesters, polyamideimides, polyarylates, polyarylsulfones, polyethersulfones, polyphenylene sulfides, polysulfones, polyimides, polyetherimides, polyetherketones, polyether etherketones, polyether ketone ketones, polysiloxanes, polyurethanes, polyarylene ethers, polyethers, polyether amides, polyether esters, or the like, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermoplastic polymers.
• thermoplastic polymers include, but are not limited to, amorphous and semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymers and polymer blends, such as: polyvinyl chloride, linear and cyclic polyolefins, chlorinated polyethylene, polypropylene, and the like; hydrogenated polysulfones, ABS resins, hydrogenated polystyrenes, syndiotactic and atactic polystyrenes, polycyclohexyl ethylene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, and the like; polybutadiene, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), methyl methacrylate-polyimide copolymers; polyacrylonitrile, polyacetals, polyphenylene ethers, including, but not limited to, those derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol and copolymers with 2,3,6-trimethylphenol, and the like; ethylene-vinyl acetate
• the term “polycarbonate” includes compositions having structural units of the structure (XI), where R 15 is an aliphatic, aromatic or a cycloaliphatic radical.
• the polycarbonate comprises structural units of the structure (XII): -A 1 -Y 1 -A 2 - (XII) wherein each of A 1 and A 2 is a monocyclic divalent aryl radical and Y 1 is a bridging radical having zero, one, or two atoms which separate A 1 from A 2 .
• one atom separates A 1 from A 2 .
• the bridging radical Y 1 can be a hydrocarbon group, such as, for example, methylene, cyclohexylidene or isopropylidene, or aryl bridging groups.
• dihydroxy aromatic compounds include, for example, compounds having general structure (XIII), wherein R 16 and R 17 each independently represent a halogen atom, or a aliphatic, aromatic, or a cycloaliphatic radical; a and b are each independently integers from 0 a to 4; and X c represents one of the groups of structure (XIV), wherein R 18 and R 19 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a aliphatic, aromatic or a cycloaliphatic radical; and R 20 is a divalent hydrocarbon group.
• XIII compounds having general structure (XIII), wherein R 16 and R 17 each independently represent a halogen atom, or a aliphatic, aromatic, or a cycloaliphatic radical
• a and b are each independently integers from 0 a to 4
• X c represents one of the groups of structure (XIV), wherein R 18 and R 19 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a aliphatic, aromatic or a cyclo
• dihydroxy aromatic compounds include dihydric phenols and the dihydroxy-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons such as those disclosed by name or structure (generic or specific) in U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,438.
• Polycarbonates comprising structural units derived from bisphenol A are preferred since they are relatively inexpensive and commercially readily available.
• a nonexclusive list of specific examples of the types of bisphenol compounds that may be represented by structure (XIII) includes the following: 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane; 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane; 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane (hereinafter “bisphenol A” or “BPA”); 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) octane; 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane; 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) n-butane; bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) phenylmethane; 2,2-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) propane (hereinafter “DMBPA”); 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy-t-butylphenyl) propane; bis(hydroxyaryl) alkanes such as 2,2-bis(4-hydroxy-3-bromophenyl) propane; 1,1-bis(4-hydroxy
• Polycarbonates can be produced by any of the methods known in the art. Branched polycarbonates are also useful, as well as blends of linear polycarbonates and branched polycarbonates. Preferred polycarbonates are based on bisphenol A. Preferably, the weight average molecular weight of the polycarbonate is about 5,000 to about 100,000 atomic mass units, more preferably about 10,000 to about 65,000 atomic mass units, and most preferably about 15,000 to about 35,000 atomic mass units.
• a suitable thermoplastic polymer for use in forming the holographic data storage media include Lexan®, a polycarbonate; and Ultem®, an amorphous polyetherimide, both of which are commercially available from General Electric Company.
• thermosetting polymers examples include those selected from the group consisting of an epoxy, a phenolic, a polysiloxane, a polyester, a polyurethane, a polyamide, a polyacrylate, a polymethacrylate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermosetting polymers.
• the photochemically active dye may be admixed with other additives to form a photo-active material.
• additives include heat stabilizers; antioxidants; light stabilizers; plasticizers; antistatic agents; mold releasing agents; additional resins; binders, blowing agents; and the like, as well as combinations of the foregoing additives.
• the photo-active materials are used for manufacturing holographic data storage media.
• Cycloaliphatic and aromatic polyesters can be used as binders for preparing the photo-active material. These are suitable for use with thermoplastic polymers, such as polycarbonates, to form the optically transparent substrate. These polyesters are optically transparent, and have improved weatherability, low water absorption and good melt compatibility with the polycarbonate matrix. Cycloaliphatic polyesters are generally prepared by reaction of a diol with a dibasic acid or an acid derivative, often in the presence of a suitable catalyst.
• the polymers used for forming the optically transparent substrate, and the holographic data storage medium should be capable of withstanding the processing parameters, such as for example during the step of including the dye and application of any coating or subsequent layers and molding into final format; and subsequent storage conditions.
• Suitable thermoplastic polymers have glass transition temperatures of about 100° C. or greater in an embodiment, about 150° C. or greater in another embodiment, and about 200° C. or greater in still another embodiment.
• Exemplary thermoplastic polymers having glass transition temperatures of 200° C. or greater include certain types of polyetherimides, polyimides, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.
• the effective photochemically active dye is present in an amount from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the optically transparent substrate, and has a UV-visible absorbance in a range between about 0.1 and about 1 at a wavelength in a range between about 300 nm and about 800 nm.
• Such photochemically active dyes are used in combination with other materials, such as, for example, binders to form photo-active materials, which in turn are used for manufacturing holographic data storage media.
• a film of an optically transparent substrate comprising at least one optically transparent plastic material and at least one photochemically active dye is formed.
• the film is prepared by molding techniques by using a molding composition that is obtained by mixing the dye with an optically transparent plastic material.
• Mixing can be conducted in machines such as a single or multiple screw extruder, a Buss kneader, a Henschel, a helicone, an Eirich mixer, a Ross mixer, a Banbury, a roll mill, molding machines such as injection molding machines, vacuum forming machines, blow molding machine, or then like, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing machines.
• the dye and the optically transparent plastic material may be dissolved in a solution and films of the optically transparent substrate can be spin cast from the solution.
• the data storage composition is injection molded into an article that can be used for producing holographic data storage media.
• the injection-molded article can have any geometry. Examples of suitable geometries include circular discs, square shaped plates, polygonal shapes, or the like.
• the thickness of the articles can vary, from being at least 100 micrometers in an embodiment, and at least 250 micrometers in another embodiment. Thickness of at least 250 micrometers is useful in producing holographic data storage disks which are comparable to the thickness of current digital storage discs.
• Reading of the stored holographic data can be achieved by a read beam, which comprises irradiating the data storage medium with electromagnetic energy.
• the read beam reads the data contained by diffracted light from the hologram.
• the read wavelength can be between 350 and 1,100 nanometers (nm).
• the wavelengths of the data beam used for writing the data as holograms and the read beam used for reading the stored data are the same.
• the wavelengths of the data beam and the read beam are different from each other, and can independently have a wavelength between 350 and 1,100 nanometers.
• the read beam has a wavelength that is shifted by 0 nm to about 400 nm from the wavelength of the write beam.
• the methods disclosed herein can be used for producing holographic data storage media that can be used for bit-wise type data storage in an embodiment, and page-wise type storage of data in another embodiment. In still another embodiment, the methods can be used for storing data in multiple layers of the data storage medium.
• the holographic data storage articles described hereinabove are useful for recording data in the form of holograms and reading the holographic data.
• the holographic data storage medium in the in the holographic data storage article is irradiated with electromagnetic energy having a first wavelength (the signal beam or the write beam) having data to be written.
• a first wavelength the signal beam or the write beam
• the data is then stored in the data storage medium as a hologram.
• the holographic data storage medium is irradiated with electromagnetic energy having a second wavelength (the read beam) to read the hologram.
• the read beam has a wavelength that is shifted by 0 nanometer to about 400 nanometers from the signal beam's wavelength.
• N-Isopropylhydroxylamine hydrochloride (5.04 grams, 45.2 millimoles, 1 molar equivalent; available from Acros Organics) was combined with trans-cinnamaldehyde (5.66 grams, 42.9 millimoles, 0.95 molar equivalent; available from Aldrich Chemical Company) in 16 milliliters of water.
• the rapidly stirred mixture started off as an emulsion due to the low solubility of the trans-cinnamaldehyde. After about one hour, the emulsion disappeared, and a homogeneous light yellow solution resulted.
• reaction mixture was poured into methylene chloride and treated with 26 milliliters of saturated aqueous sodium carbonate solution (containing greater than 2 molar equivalents of sodium carbonate base to insure consumption of hydrogen chloride by-product) such that the pH was about 10.5.
• the phases were separated and the aqueous phase was rinsed with additional methylene chloride.
• the combined organic phase was separated, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, concentrated in vacuo, and dried under vacuum overnight to produce 7.4 grams (91 percent of theory) of the desired product that was determined to be pure by liquid chromatography and further characterized by NMR spectroscopy.
• UV-visible spectrum of the product in absolute ethanol revealed an absorption maximum ( ⁇ max ) at 330 nanometers.
• This Example describes the procedure for preparing a ⁇ -(4-Dimethylamino)styryl-N-phenyl Nitrone—Polystyrene blend, which was subsequently used for preparing molded disks having a thickness of about 1.2 millimeters.
• This material was then further diluted with additional crystal polystyrene 1301 pellets to make blends having 0.60 weight percent, 0.75 weight percent, 1 weight percent, and 1.24 weight percent of ⁇ -(4-dimethylamino)styryl-N-phenyl nitrone.
• Each of these four diluted blend compositions was re-processed with the WP 28 millimeter twin-screw extruder to form homogeneously colored pellets.
• Optical quality disks were prepared by injection molding the four diluted blends (prepared as described above) with an ELECTRA DISCOTM 50-ton all-electrical commercial CD/DVD (compact disc/digital video disc) molding machine (available from Milacron Inc.). Mirrored stampers were used for both surfaces. Cycle times were generally set to about 10 seconds. Molding conditions were varied depending upon the glass transition temperature and melt viscosity of the polymer used, as well as the photochemically active dye's thermal stability. Thus the maximum barrel temperature was varied from about 200° C. to about 375° C.
• UV-visible spectra of the photochemically active dyes Procedure for measuring UV-visible spectra of the photochemically active dyes. All spectra were recorded on a Cary/Varian 300 UV-visible spectrophotometer using injection-molded disks having a thickness of about 1.2 millimeters. Spectra were recorded in the range of 300 nanometers to 800 nanometers. Due to disk-to-disk variations, no reference sample was used. Results of the UV-visible absorption spectra measurements are shown in Table 2 as Examples 7-11.
• the absorption reported in the table was calculated by subtracting the average baseline in the range of 700-800 nanometers for each sample tested from the measured absorption at either 405 nanometers or 532 nanometers. Since these compounds do not absorb in the 700-800 nanometer range, this correction removed the apparent absorption caused by reflections off the surfaces of the disk and provided a more accurate representation of the absorbance of the dye.
• the polymers used in these examples had little or no absorption at 405 nanometers or 532 nanometers.
• Examples 7-10 used ⁇ -(4-Dimethylamino)styryl-N-phenyl nitrone as the photochemically active dye, and Example 11 used ⁇ -styryl-N-phenyl nitrone.
• the data in Table 2 shows that an M# of 0.5 or higher can be achieved by using from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of a dye, based on a total weight of the optically transparent substrate, wherein the photochemically active dye has a UV-visible absorbance in a range from about 0.1 to about 1 at a wavelength in a range from about 300 nanometers to about 800 nanometers.
• the results also show that high volumetric data storage capacities can be achieved using photochemically active dyes that are efficient and sensitive to electromagnetic energy, such as light without interference from the main absorption peak of the dye.

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